Aftermath: Asbury Park Comicon 2014

"LOVE that Joker!"

Asbury Park Comicon kicked off my 2014 convention season last weekend and was a grand success! Hosted at the Berkley Oceanfront Hotel, this was the first of this specific show that I've attended in my further attempts to try out new venues for my Artist Alley tables. Hotel shows vs convention center shows both have their own sets of pros and cons. Hotel shows are definitely more intimate than convention center shows- the winding series of smaller, carpeted exhibition rooms you find in a hotel versus the singular, echoing concrete box of a huge convention center have various effects on you. I attended with my pal and frequent convention tablemate Maria Danalakis, who actually was placed in another room from me, so it looked like we were both flying solo. Which was interesting, as our room experiences were both very different yet enjoyable. Maria's table was out in what I called "The Veranda" which had numerous windows facing the ocean breeze and a porch with seating so you could laze about in the sunshine reading comics. How delightful.

 

My table however was located in a dimly-lit, windowless room with a heater running on high all day Saturday. It smelled weird. My makeup was melting and I was getting progressively more and more sleepy as the day stretched on. I eventually started to call it "Nerd Hell". BUT, I totally had great entertainment to make the day go by quickly. My table neighbors were the costume contact company Macabre Eyes, which was run by this dude Paul who is a character actor that all day Sunday played The Joker without breaking character. It was totally amazing. I felt like I was at a psychotic Disney character breakfast (without the breakfast). Plus, he's portraying the smarmy, middle-aged Jack Nicholson Joker, which I appreciate in this day of guys trying to be all 'sexy' Heath Ledger Joker. To add to the insane spectacle of the show was that my table was facing the celebrity row of Asbury Comicon, so I was a mere aisle's width of distance from frigging Dante from Clerks himself, Brian O'Hallorhan; the Chewlees Gum Guy from Clerks, Scott Schiaffo; frigging Rick Derris and a couple guys from Comic Book Men on AMC that were hocking their own indy creations. Every time I heard Dante say something to someone I had to chuckle a little to myself,  and go "Hey, Coach Dante!" cuz I'm actually a huger fan of the Clerks cartoon than even the movie. Also I was able to capitalize on some of the gawkers who would get held up in front of my table during massive photo sessions.
Financially the show was a win. I sold out on quite a few items, namely bracelets and my Poison Ivy/Harley Quinn pinup merch. Overall, while the show had some hiccups it was an enjoyable and fruitious time.

Setting up my table on Friday afternoon.

Sunday's outfit

In our satin tights, fighting for your rights!